Ex-Catholic priest jailed for sex abuse

A former Catholic priest who committed an "inexcusable" breach of trust by convincing a teenaged altar boy to have sex with him has been jailed for at least 7½ years by a Sydney court.

James Fletcher, 64, from Branxton, was found guilty of nine charges relating to the sexual abuse of the teenager between 1989 and 1991.

Fletcher was convicted in December last year of the offences which occurred at his NSW Hunter Valley parish.

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Reading the victim's evidence recorded during the trial, NSW District Court judge Graham Armitage yesterday said Fletcher had tried to "ingratiate" himself to the victim and his family and manipulate the boy into keeping quiet.

"He ingratiated himself with the offender and his family for the specific purpose of taking advantage of him," Judge Armitage said.

The court was told Fletcher had on a number of occasions driven the victim to a waterworks near the parish where the two had oral sex.

Late in June 1990, at a park in nearby Paterson, Fletcher became angry when the boy, then aged 13, could not get an erection.

"I know how I could make you orgasm, we could have sex," Justice Armitage read from the victim's evidence.

"The boy trusted Father Fletcher and agreed to his suggestion."

Judge Armitage said the boy had told the court "he had never felt pain like it in his life" and had looked at a St Christopher medal in the car while the intercourse took place.

The boy then cried and Fletcher hugged him, saying "it was a normal part of life".

After the incident, Fletcher warned the boy "no one would believe him [if he told] because priests never lied", Judge Armitage read.

"If he told anyone, Father Fletcher would hurt his brothers."

Describing the string of offences as a "gross and inexcusable" breach of trust, Judge Armitage sentenced Fletcher to a minimum 7½ years' jail, with a maximum term of 10 years.

Outside the courtroom, the victim's mother, who cannot be identified, said the family would face "a life-long sentence" of recovery.

"I'm glad my son wasn't here to hear it again," she said.

Praising her son's courage, the woman described him as "an extraordinarily brave boy".